Brian Posted December 7, 2002 Report Share Posted December 7, 2002 Been playing with my own tele kit and came up with some super easy mod's for upgrading. Black Pick Guard, how easy is this? Real Kluson Deluxe tuners, for this mod you need to redrill the hole's and also file the very tip of the last tuner's corner down because it sticks out from behind the neck about 1/32" (I just used a dremel, buzz zip it was done) Drill through the body from the top going through the holes already in the bridge plate and add string furrels. Because it is already set up to become a string through body with these bridge plates! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jehle Posted December 10, 2002 Report Share Posted December 10, 2002 You are taunting me! The string through body is a must. I'll do that one for sure. I have already thought about leaving the pickgard off to show off the figured maple top that I'm adding. Nice looker now. Good job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave M Posted December 11, 2002 Report Share Posted December 11, 2002 That's sweet! I have built Tele kits for buddies, but I usually left them stock. Now I am doing a Tele from an aftermarket neck, and routing out my body from a slab. I am going to do the string through bridge too. I used to jam with a guy who had both options on his Tele', and he would start a new string through the body. He always broke E strings at the tuning peg. (Don't ask me how, he just did) When it broke, he would then pull it out, and thread it through the bridge the normal way, and have another half inch or so to rewind onto the peg. He saved money by breaking each string twice! See, that feature isn't just cool, it's practical, and efficient. Tele's rule! Kit Tele's are even more boss! Truly the everyman's guitar. How does it play and sound? Any noticeble difference in sound when you run the string through the body, or just to the bridge? Which do you like better for bending? How do the Kluson tuners work during bending? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEdwardJones Posted December 11, 2002 Report Share Posted December 11, 2002 Out of curiosity, does that kit accept standard Fender bridges as in are the holes all in the right location for a bridge upgrade if I, say, want to put a gold bridge on there or a humbucker or somesuch.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted December 11, 2002 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2002 When the kit's first come (the one's I use which are SAGA) they have 3 thin holes predrilled for the bridge mount, but you can easily switch to a real Fender Tele bridge if you want. The pattern is different but the bridge itself will hide the original pre-drilled holes. A lot of these kit's get a bad rap in the industry (first because of price) people figuring it's cheap so it must be made cheap. Truth is I do usually have to re-route the bridge pickup cavity in order to align the bridge correctly and I always end up doing some sanding in the neck pocket. If you wanted to add a bridge with a humbucker you would definatly have to route as the cavity is shaped like a traditional Tele bridge pickup cavity. As far as the body is concerned it comes presealed with a factory smooth (clear sanding sealer) finish that would be hard to do on your own and get the same results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEdwardJones Posted December 11, 2002 Report Share Posted December 11, 2002 ahhhh I was thinking since a Tele is flat it would be a good body to try veneering for the first time and if I got that hooked up I might eventually want to switch out the bridge to something a little fancier's all. I just don't want to put a new bridge on and have nothing work right anymore (especially if I go thru the trouble of drilling holes thru the body for a string-thru conversion.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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